


Unsettled

by EllieRose101



Series: Spuffy vs. 2020 [4]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:08:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25948630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllieRose101/pseuds/EllieRose101
Summary: Spike tries an unconventional parenting technique. (Part of my 'Spuffy vs. 2020' mini-series.)
Relationships: Spike/Buffy Summers
Series: Spuffy vs. 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775368
Kudos: 20





	Unsettled

One Shot

The Slayer was not new to sleep deprivation, but everyone who had told her that having a newborn gave everything a new perspective had, apparently, not been kidding. Slaying all night and studying all day did not come close to feeding a tiny screaming human on-demand. It just didn’t. 

Spike had been great at taking the lion’s share of the diaper changes, which was a big help, but whatever he was doing now definitely didn’t sound like a diaper change or remotely helpful. 

Straining her ears, Buffy tried to figure out exactly what the noise from the other room was. It surely couldn’t be what it sounded like, but whatever the source, it didn’t seem to be stopping. With a sigh, she abandoned her nap and got up to investigate. 

Rubbing her eyes and pulling herself out of bed, Buffy made her way into the living room, where she stopped short. There Spike was, gently rocking the baby (they still hadn’t settled on a name) and singing along to…  _ seriously? Either I really am losing it or I was right all along and my manpire husband is serenading our child with a song about ‘wet ass pussy.’ _

After a prolonged period of stunned silence on her part, Spike seemed to notice he had an audience and looked up with a broad smile. “Hey, love. Just getting him settled. Surprised to see you up again so soon.” 

Buffy opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before she could ask, “What the  _ hell  _ are you doing?” 

He frowned for a second, looking back and forth between the baby and Buffy. “What?” 

Her hands went to her hips. “This song? Seriously?” 

“What?” Spike said again. “I heard you tell Dawn just yesterday you thought it was empowering.” 

“For  _ women _ ,” said Buffy. “That does not make it age-appropriate for kids.” 

Spike rolled his eyes. “One: Cuthbert doesn’t know what I’m saying, he just likes the beat. Two: It’s the only bloody thing I’ve found that works. And three: I’m doin’ the clean version. Not a complete idiot.” 

Buffy had to take a deep breath and count to ten. “We are not calling our son Cuthbert, no many how many times you try and push it. And how is there even a clean version when pretty much every word is dirty?” 

Spike didn’t say anything to that and, in the ensuing pause, Buffy did notice that some of the particularly filthy words were indeed muted or masked or re-dubbed or whatever the terminology was. Still, the point stood for the most part. 

_ God, I’m so tired. I can’t handle this right now. _

“Honestly pet,” said Spike, his tone soothing now, as if he’d read her thoughts.  _ Or maybe I said that out loud? I don’t even know anymore.  _

“It’s the first song I’ve found that stops him crying. God knows I’ve tried plenty of others. I’ll keep trying, but make the most of the silence for now, eh?” 

Buffy bit her lip, just about ignoring the urge to point out that the cease in crying didn’t equal silence if it required rap music on the stereo. After a few seconds, she felt her body relax as she resigned herself to the sad fact that Spike was right. It was noise, but it wasn’t screaming. They should probably pick their battles. 

“Could we maybe turn it down a little?” she asked meekly, all of the annoyance and surprise having seeped out of her. 

Spike went to the stereo and did just that, then coming to a stop in front of Buffy and kissing the top of her head. She breathed him in and took a moment to gaze lovingly at Will (she really wanted to call him Will and was sure Spike would come ‘round eventually). Theirs wasn’t the most conventional family, but in some ways, it was the most normal part of her and Spike’s lives. 

“Get yourself on back to bed,” he told her now, complete with a loving look in his own eyes. 

Buffy smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to the side of his mouth. “You’re okay staying on baby duty?” 

“Got it covered,” he affirmed with a grin. 

“Okay then.” Buffy yawned and walked the short distance back to their bedroom, laughing to herself as she drifted off. She hadn’t thought she’d ever get that song out of her head, but the sight (and sound) of Spike trying to rap along was definitely going to stay with her. 


End file.
